Traction tire chain



July 11, 1939. LLOYD 2,165,865

TRACTION TIRE CHAIN Filed May 11, 1936 IN VEN TOR, 270 017 ZTZ/ayd.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES .ATE

TRACTION TIRE CHAIN Eldon E. Lloyd, Maryville, Mo.

Applicaticn May 11, 1936, Serial No. 79,061

2 Claims. ('81. 152239) This invention relates to traction tire chains is a cross tread unit or chain 26, each comprisparticularly suited for use where the vehicle is to ing parallel cross chains 22, spaced-apart and be used on relatively soft ground. secured at their opposite ends to rim chains l6 by The principal object of this invention is the means of link hooks 24. The shape of the cross provision of a tire chain having a series of relamembers is not necessarily just as shown, since 5 tively broad, transverse tread members consistit is only necessary that they be pliant and caing of fabricated parts to form a web mesh suit pable to oiier resistance to facilitate traction. able for contacting a large area of ground to The number of cross chains to each unit might be FFEQ facilitate traction. varied to produce a cross traction unit of any 10 A further object of this invention is the prodesired width. 10 vision of a traction chain comprising spaced- Cross chains 22 are interconnected by means apart rim chains carrying tread units each conof members 26 which are adapted to engage corsisting of spaced-apart, substantially parallel responding links of the cross chains and extend cross chains interconnected by a plurality of substantially parallel with the rim chains.

links. These links or members 26 may be made of a 15 Other objects are simplicity and economy of section of chain or any other pliant structure construction and efficiency of operation. suitable for maintaining the cross chains in a With these objects in view, together with minor predetermined relation. objects which will appear during the course of The links as shown are made of wire rebent 2 the specification, reference will now be had to upon itself to form an eyelet 28 at each end the drawing, wherein: thereof, through which the strand of the cross Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a chain links pass. With this type of structure of vehicle tire, with a segment of a traction chain interconnecting member, no buckling of the mounted thereon embodying this invention. member 26 can occur to cause relative displace- Fig. 2 is an enlarged, cross sectional View taken ment of the cross chains. It will be observed 25 on line IIII of Fig. 1. that these connecting members are so positioned Fig. 3 is a stretch-out view of a portion of the as to contact the side walls of the tire, but not to traction chain. interfere with the tread portion thereof. Should Fig. 4 is a stretch-out view of a modified form it be deemed advisable to use this type of trac- 30 of the traction chain, in which a formed plate tion chain on a double-tired vehicle wheel, the 30 is substituted for certain of the chain links in same general principal might be maintained to the tread member, and, provide connecting members positioned at the Fig. 5 is a stretch-out of a modified form, zones other than those at the tread portions of wherein the fabricated tread unit is provided the tires.

5 with an intermediate cross chain. When so constructed, the cross chains func- Throughout the several views of the drawing, tion to contact the ground in a pred termined like reference characters refer to similar part relative relation and Will function to facilitate, and the numeral l0 designates a vehicle tire of very d fi d perfect tractionportion the ordinary pneumatic type having t d porof the cross units extending over the tread por- 40 tion !2 and a rim portion IA. The tread portion tion of the tire which is free from interconnecting 40 of the tire is usually molded in certain designs will have suliicient movement relative to to facilitate traction, thereby causing depression the tire tread to eliminate any earth or trash in the tread, into which the single strand cross that may have accumulated thereon. chain might become lodged to eliminate, to a cer- Referring now to Fig. 4 which shows a slight 4.5 tain degree, its usefulness as a traction element. modification, it will be noted that the link hooks The broad cross tread unit of the present inven- 24 engage one end of plate 3|], while cross chains tion, as hereinafter set forth, overcomes this de- 32 extend between and are attached to plates 30, feet, due to the fact that it spans a relatively thereby producing a cross tread unit similar to broad area of the tread. that shown in Fig. 3. Plate 3|] is preferably of The traction tread member or chain comprises spider form and serves to maintain the cross 5 spaced-apart rim chains l6, made of a series of chains 32 in proper traction relation. In case links [8. These rims chains are adapted to be of extremely large tires, more than one of these positioned adjacent the tire rim at opposite sides plates 30 might be used at each side of the center thereof as shown in Fig. 2. Interconnecting or tread portion.

these rim chains, preferably at regular intervals, Fig. 5 provides for two parallel cross chains 34 55 which are interconnected with the spaced-apart rim chains I6 by means of link hooks 24. Positioned between and parallel with cross chains 34, is an intermediate chain 36, which is interconnected with the cross chain by means of connecting links 38. The extremities of this intermediate chain 36 are preferably not attached to the rim chains 16, thereby allowing more flexing of the traction unit as a whole. This particular type of traction unit is suitable for use with exceptionally large tires and also where the soil is relatively loose.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A traction chain for vehicle tires comprising spaced-apart rim chains; spaced-apart cross tread units interconnecting said rim chains, each tread unit consisting of spaced-apart, substantially parallel cross chains interconnecting said rim chains; an elongated pliant member positioned intermediate said cross chains and spaced apart from said rim chains; and a plurality of substantially parallel members connecting the end portions of said pliant member with the adjacent cross chains respectively, whereby the major central portions of the cross chains and pliant member are free for independent transverse movement.

2. A traction chain for vehicle tires comprising spaced apart rim chains; spaced apart cross tread units interconnecting said tread units, consisting of a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel cross chains interconnecting said rim chains; an elongated pliant member positioned intermediate said cross chains and substantially parallel therewith, with its end extremities respectively spaced apart from the adjacent rim chains; and links interconnecting the end portions of said pliant member with the major central portion of said pliant member, which spans the normal contacting tread of the tire, free for transverse movement independent of the central portion of the adjacent cross chains.

ELDON E. LLOYD. 

